Watson hoping he's found his feet

Sports Writer

"I always wished I'd be able to contribute when the team needed it" ... Shane Watson. Photo: Michael Clayton-Jones

SHANE WATSON has described his effort to be Australia's workhorse in the first Test as a milestone after his injury woes in the past year.

The 47.4 overs Watson bowled in Hobart, including 27 in the final innings as Australia pushed for victory one bowler down, was the most he has delivered in a Test

''To be able to get through the amount of overs I did in the last Test match is something, to be totally honest, I didn't ever dream I'd be able to without having a setback in a game,'' he said. ''For me that was a big accomplishment.''

Watson has been dogged by calf strains the past two summers but said he had pulled up well from his increased workload.

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''I always wished I'd be able to contribute at some time when the team needed it and unfortunately for Ben Hilfenhaus he went down injured, but it meant it gave me an opportunity to see if my body could handle that sort of thing and so far it has,'' Watson said. His injury woes have meant he has seldom been able to star with both bat and ball in the Test arena.

Now, it's just a matter of rediscovering his touch with the bat.

The 31-year-old said he was in career-best form during the Twenty20 swing in September and October, but has managed just 70 runs in four Test innings since returning from injury in Perth against South Africa.

''To have three weeks out and not to be batting consistently and then just building back up to being your best again, you wish it would turn around quickly so you could be your best straight away,'' he said.

''But it does take a little bit of time to find your feet again and get the reflexes up to where they need to be and your natural instincts at the top of your game as well.''